The Irvine City Council, joining at least six other Orange County cities, has adopted a controversial temporary policy that potentially shuts some council members out of holding public discussions on issues that others on the dais don’t want.

The nearly 7,000 people officially homeless n Orange County should be a wake up call to the County and all 34 cities to start building affordable and permanent supportive housing, in addition to shelters, according to experts in the field.

Irvine Mayor Don Wagner’s lead now exceeds all of the known ballots that remain to be counted. The closely-watched election will influence the power and policy dynamics on the powerful county Board of Supervisors.

Orange County Republicans need to distance themselves from President Donald Trump to to regain the offices they lost in November and Democrats can’t overplay their hand in order to keep the legislative seats they gained heading into 2020, according to policy and elections specialists.